The idea of national identity is extremely important for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) because, currently, the country is under the influence of globalisation trends, and its openness to world cultures and rapid economic development create conditions for mixing identities and cultures within the country. As a result, the vision of the UAE’s national identity becomes affected and weakened in the context of the public’s reference to Western cultures with the focus on the rise of the influence of the English language and constantly increased flows of expatriates. Accordingly, the problem of strengthening the national identity in the UAE should attract the attention of the authorities and a wide audience. In spite of the fact that the UAE’s government has focused on developing initiatives to preserve and protect the national identity in the country, specific steps to address the problem should be completed: the promotion of the Arabic language, changes in the school curriculum, and the promotion of national values using mass media.
The number of expatriates in the country rises proportionally to declines in the number of the UAE citizens or nationals. This aspect creates a certain imbalance in the country’s demographic mix, and the preservation of the national identity in this situation should be viewed as a priority for the government despite its challenging character. It is ineffective and inappropriate for a modern country to accentuate only its own language, culture, and religion while ignoring or forbidding other cultures, therefore, it is important to create conditions for expatriates for not only sharing their cultural values but also identifying ethnic, linguistic, and national aspects typical of the UAE. The first step in this context is the focus on using the Arabic language in all spheres where it is possible as the primary one, and the English language can be used as the additional one. The reason is that the Arabic language is directly associated with Emiratis’ national identity, and its status should be accentuated for the country, its progress, and development. Therefore, the government should develop programs and initiatives oriented to increasing the use of the Arabic language in the country.
The second step should be the revision of the school curriculum in order to contribute to children’s adoption and understanding of the country’s cultural and national values. Education in the context of some culture is the core of an individual’s ethnic and cultural identities (Gellner, 1983). From this perspective, the national culture and values should be accentuated in modern school curricula to guarantee that young Emiratis understand their national identity, easily use their language, and are still open to global trends. As a result of revising currently used school curricula, it will be possible to develop young people’s cultural, social, and national awareness with reference to adopting values typical of the society in the UAE. The focus on the national values and historical background of the UAE reflected in school curricula is also important for expatriates’ children to contribute to their integration in the UAE’s society. These changes should also be associated with enhancing the use of the Arabic language in classes for both nationals and expatriates.
Although the UAE’s government has successfully developed a range of initiatives to preserve the national identity with the focus on the use of the Arabic language, the creation of historical heritage projects, and current modifications in education, there are still areas that need to be reviewed with the focus on the idea of strengthening national identity in the country. Currently realised projects can be effective to some extent, but more valid actions are required in order to address the speed of developing the UAE into one of the most progressive or advanced countries of the world with its focus on the economic boost and innovation. In this context, the risk of weakening national identity under the influence of external factors is high.
Therefore, the additional step in strengthening the nation’s vision and identity should be the promotion of the country’s cultural values with the help of modern mass media. From this point, it is necessary for the government to invest more resources in developing media projects, cinematography, and cultural events to spread certain values in the UAE to be covered by mass media. This step is critical to draw the young generation’s attention to the problem of national identity and to accentuate cultural traditions while evoking patriotic feelings.
The UAE’s government should concentrate on the proposed steps in order to guarantee that the nation’s attitudes to the country’s cultural specifics and traditions, as well as its identity, will change. The focus should be on raising national identity in the context of the developed world interested in globalisation perspectives. Therefore, it is important to promote the idea that the national identity in the UAE can develop along with the awareness of foreign values typical of the country’s course. From this point of view, the promotion of national identity is not the focus on conservative trends, but it is a significant stage in the formation of a strong nation that is open to global tendencies in spite of respecting the country’s values and traditions.
Reference
Gellner, E. (1983). Nations and nationalism. Oxford, UK: Basil Blackwell.